Sibby clawed one of the String-people, making sure not to sever the limb completely. The sword her target had been using dropped from his loosening grip.
Good.
Sibby ducked under a hail of arrows while diving forward. Her hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword, while her body tore through the man's legs. Despite the grievous injuries she'd just inflicted on him, the String-person would live.
Probably.
While she could tear their limbs off easily enough, maiming the stitch-covered people was... pointless. At least when she targeted their arms and legs. A cut along their stitches left nothing but cloth in her wake. Tearing their flesh at other places did make them bleed, but not very much. Deep wounds were the best way to 'hurt' them, but it also had a good chance of killing them.
Their deaths weren't her goal. She didn't mind killing them... at least, not that much, but part of her 'psychological attack' was to leave behind wounded soldiers to be a constant reminder to the others.
Doing so was frustratingly hard when she couldn't just tear off an arm or two and be done with it.
As the rough-skinned man toppled behind her, Sibby turned and planted her right foot on his cheek. His eyes widened in fear as he met her gaze. Sibby smirked, and then spun on her heel.
...
Earlier.
"Your friend, Laila, said that Stitchfolk cannot replace their heads. So, if you want to leave maimed bodies in your wake, that's what you need to target." William Manton sighed. Or, at least, the memory of William Manton sighed? Sibby wasn't exactly sure what her original creator was inside of her 'Shardspace', mainly because William wasn't sure himself. Still, if there was one thing he'd always been good at - it was telling her how to properly hurt people.
"It's hard to damage heads without killing people." She complained. Sure, she was able to claw people's faces. She'd gotten really good at that with all the practice she'd had by Kevin's side. "Eyes are small!"
But most of her previous targets had been Humans that knew of her and cowered before her. Everyone here was like some stupid, weak cape. Not strong or fast enough to beat her, but the better ones were hard to scratch at just the right depth. Too shallow, and it was just a cut. Too deep, and they died.
"Yes, I can understand that." William nodded. "Agile targets giving you trouble?" She nodded. "Then, you just need to stop them from being agile." He smiled. "It will take longer, but removing their legs will leave them vulnerable for you to target their faces."
"Okay!"
"Besides," He added. "Just because Stringfolk can attach new legs doesn't mean that they aren't using up resources to do so. We have no idea how many spare limbs the army carries. Or how many it can create in a day, but there's bound to be a limit." William shrugged. "By always targeting legs, you can put pressure on that limited resource. Even if you can't deplete it entirely, the thought that you might will creep into their minds.
...
More String-people crowded in on her with a look of resignation. A swarm of arrows flew towards her.
No. No. No. Yes, that one. No. No. No. Yes. No. Yes.
...
Earlier.
Cauwine grinned at her as the Goddess's form shifted into a much more pleasant version. Sibby's mirror image spoke. "How may I help you, Siberian?"
"William suggested that you might be the best person to ask about overcoming magic."
Cauwine's yellow eyes gleamed. "Yes. Your Authority doesn't cover such a thing."
"My Authority?" Sibby tilted her head.
"Your power. The way you so effortlessly impose your will on reality." As if to demonstrate, Cauwine casually swiped her claws through the stone wall of the alien building that was next to them. "There are all kinds, and yours is particularly potent. Stone, Cutting, Force, Gouging, Burrowing... such Authorities could also accomplish this, but yours is just... invincible." Cauwine smiled before her shoulders drooped slightly. "But not to magic.
Sibby scowled.
"So what do I do?"
"It's easy." Cauwine's smile grew feral. "Just borrow my Authority."
"Your Authority?" Sibby tilted her head.
"Yes." The Goddess nodded. "It's still far too weak to be used directly. One or two full strikes would tax it, even with all the fear and acknowledgment flowing into us." She held up a finger. "But! If you use it more as a sense as to what your own Authority can't effect, then we'll be much more dangerous!"
"I can already tell when I can ignore something." Sibby crossed her arms.
"Yes." Cauwine nodded. "You can when you touch it. Right before you try to impose your will on it. Like it has a resistance."
"Exactly!" Sibby smiled in return.
"You just need to do the same at a distance with our Authority."
"But how?" Sibby frowned.
"Easy!" Cauwine's perfect features twisted into a snarl. "Fight me!"
...
Sibby called on her newest sense as her Authority flickered between her and the projectiles. It wasn't much use, but it sort of reminded her of when Kevin granted her the ability to sense the future.
Most of the arrows she could simply ignore. They were normal. Something she could brush aside with a thought. Others? Those were the annoying ones. The ones her power couldn't affect. Either because they were 'Magical' or because they were a 'Skill'.
Cauwine said that those two things were different, but they felt the same to Sibby.
The sword she'd picked up was 'Magical', which was why she'd bothered. Sibby's eyes narrowed as she swung the sword up and into one of the attacks she couldn't simply negate.
Her swing was slow. She couldn't negate friction on the sword, nor gravity, nor any of the other forces that were pulling in the opposite direction that she wanted. Still, it managed to clip the end of the arrow and caused it to spin off the side - missing her by mere inches.
Sibby, of course, could've just gone along with the air the arrow was pushing out of its path. That was the simplest solution, aside from reforming. But... that was getting boring. Using a weapon wasn't nearly as satisfying as tearing people apart with her own claws... but it was new and novel!
And it wasn't like she hadn't done similar things in the past when necessary. She'd even made herself a sword to help drive away Leviathan that one time!
Of course, now that she'd gotten her claws on a magical sword, she needed to get rid of it.
...
"Armies don't care about their soldiers." William said with confidence. "Their leaders will throw hundreds of their lives away to gain a foot of ground. Commanders are inhuman psychopaths."
Sibby was vaguely insulted by that remark. What was so bad about being inhuman? Or a psychopath for that matter?
"Okay?"
"While it would be best to kill the bastards in charge, you'll need something special to do that. Until then, hit them where it really hurts." His eyes gleamed. "Their pocketbook and their heroes!"
Sibby frowned and tilted her head. "But everyone is a cape. A weak cape, but still a cape. Doesn't that mean that everyone is a villain or a hero?"
William shook his head. "No, Nat-" He paused as he remembered her name again. "Sibby. A hero is an icon. A propaganda piece. Sure, they're tougher and stronger than the 'average' person, but their main goal is to inspire the mindless chattle to fall in line."
"Oh." She nodded. "Jack said similar things!"
William's eyes widened slightly and he coughed into his fist. "B-Be that as it may. The point stands. In a world of empowered individuals, might makes right. So there will be singularly powerful threats. Those will be your best targets."
"Right." Sibby grinned. "I know how to make an example of people."
William raised his eyebrow, but didn't comment. He instead switched topics. "Also, they'll be more likely to have magical items in their possession."
"Probably."
"While you can't hope to get rid of all of the army's enchanted gear, it too is a limited resource. Destroying it will hurt morale in a way that killing or maiming won't."
...
Sibby moved the sword to her off-hand while dodging the other arrow capable of popping her. As she lunged to the side, she grabbed two rocks. The people that could shoot arrows that she couldn't ignore meant that they were either powerful enough to have a 'skill' or important enough to have magical arrows.
Either way..
She flung one rock, and then the other.
While they were in her hands, she negated everything that would prevent them from flying straight through her targets. Unfortunately, once they left her grasp, they started being effect by those physical laws just like everything else.
However, in the brief time that she'd held them, they'd gained a lot of momentum. One struck an archer square in the face, while the other projectile was dodged. But dodging people couldn't shoot arrows at her, could they?
Sibby charged.
The Stringfolk were a lot better at mobilizing against her surprise attacks than the human and golem army had been. They had even managed to group up their archers for that volley. It had to be a skill thing, but all it did was leave them more vulnerable.
Sibby liked 'crowded' spaces. There were signals and forces coming from all directions anyways. What were a few more? In contrast, she knew that most people didn't have experience fighting in a mob. Or running as a mob. Or pleading for life as a mob.
Another advantage? All their legs were close together.
The magic sword she'd picked up wasn't nearly as good as her claws. It wasn't even as good as a random stick would've been. At least a stick she could use her power on without popping. It cut into one archer and got caught on his bone.
With a snarl, Sibby tore into him with the claws of her other hand. While the limbs of the Stringpeople parted just as easily before her as everything else, they didn't scream or panic. That was rather frustrating.
She SHOULD just kill them.
...but then Kevin might be disappointed. He always understood when she ended a life by accident - which was rare, since she was so amazing and all. He also didn't mind her handing out death on certain occasions.
She just didn't know if now counted.
Besides, William said that crippled people were worse for morale and mobility. Cauwine also preferred people scarred and alive now.
Eh, she was thinking too much Sibby decided as she crushed the skull of one of the archers that could actually inconvenience her. She began to move towards the other one as the real counter-attack happened. Flashes of light blazed through the sky in an arc before descending on her.
Unlike arrows, magic spells moved through the air instead of parting it. Kinda like heat. Or light.
Her opponents had learned from her past attacks. No gigantic spells. Making her pop wasn't worth that much friendly fire apparently. But now, her worthless sword finally had a use!
Sibby swatted magical projectiles out of the air with it as she literally ran through the rough-skinned people that were surrounding her.
She smiled.
This! This was fun! A real challenge! Something she couldn't just ignore!
Hm?
The sword in her hand was getting hot. It was going to break soon.
Eh. It had served its purpose. She could see the group of mages up ahead casting their spells at her behind their stupid magical barrier.
Sibby planted one foot, spun around, and hurled the sword at them!
Alas, there was no massive explosion as the sword broke. Just another flash of light as the magic within it reached the breaking point and crumbled.
At least without it slowing her down, she could find a replacement quickly enough.
General Thelican yawned as he woke up. He pulled off the sheets that were almost as high-quality silk as his body and stepped out of bed. His perfect muscles rippled underneath his flawless skin as he clapped once.
Two of his slaves entered his room and began his morning ritual. Buckets of steaming hot water were placed beside him as the women began to bathe him. Silk, of course. Not as beautiful as he was, but still worthy servants for a [Great General].
After they'd finished softly scrubbing his body, they began to anoint him lightly with some fragrant oils. Nothing outlandish. This wasn't the Court of Silk. It wasn't even the Court of Steel. No need for the right subtle blend to convey his status. A simple odor for a simple task.
A simple war.
The true war, of course, would be to the north. Once the King of Destruction got around to whatever it was he was planning. Unless, of course, Flos interfered here in Tiqr.
Then? Then it might be worth the time it took to travel here. Two hundred thousand troops were ample to crush the small country. More than ample. But that was the point. The message.
It wasn't posturing or bravado. Nerrhavia's Fallen was simply better than the other countries. Larger. Richer. Higher level.
As he silently mused, his slaves began to dress him. Magical armor. Silk clothes. Golden highlights. A uniform fitting for a [Great General] of Nerrhavia's Fallen. All of his magical items were high enough quality to allow him to wear his rings along with his armor and sword and not face any resonance issues.
Once he was appropriately attired, he clapped his hands twice. The two female slaves bowed their heads in acknowledgment of their dismissal and backed out of his tent - never showing their backs to him out of respect. Two male slaves entered in their place with a table and covered dishes.
They placed the table before him along with the silver platters. The covers came off to reveal some fresh fruit drizzled with honey, warm bread, and a cup of chilled and diluted wine.
Adequate.
This was what he had to put up with on the campaign trail.
Thelican fed himself before washing it down with the cool drink. He let out a sigh of contentment before clapping his hands twice again.
The male slaves bowed as the gathered the table and platters. They too backed out of his tent while bowing. Now that he was appropriately awake, he could resume his flawless advance.
"General." One of his [Strategists] entered. "I have a report from last night."
"Oh?"
"Yes." The Cotton made man continued. "Two hundred seventy two casualties. Fifty three dead. Eighty three suffering wounds to the face that will prevent them from fighting-"
"Prevent them from fighting?" Thelican frowned.
"Yes, sir. Mostly damaged eyes and-"
Thelican waved dismissively at him. "Let them rest in the wagons. Once we encounter some actual resistance, they can go in the vanguard."
The Cotton swallowed. "The vanguard, sir?"
"Yes, yes. They don't need to see to follow orders." The Hemp could march and hold their spears in front of them. All they needed was to be present to let [Strategists] use their skills.
"Yes, sir."
"And?" Thelican looked at him. "Any significant losses?"
"Not among the [Mages] or Magic Throwers, sir."
"Good." His plan had worked then. He'd have to send a message to Femithain thanking him for his insight into the vulnerabilities of the striped assailant's skill. It had saved him the effort of figuring it out himself, and allowed him to virtually ignore the attacks.
Hemps were cheap and tough. It was their job to soak up enemy aggression, and they'd done so adequately.
"Sir? An envoy from Roshal arrived in our camp last night." The Cotton bowed his head. "He wishes to speak with you."
Thelican rolled his eyes and made a dismissive gesture. "Later. We need to capture people before we can sell them. Does he not realize that we aren't some raiding party who moves slowly under the additional baggage of prisoners?" He shook his head. "They should go speak to Savere."
Then again, they probably already had done that. Despite Nerrhavia's Fallen being the richest and most powerful country, Roshal would undoubtedly approach each of the invading armies. Although, it would have been only proper for them to come to him first.
"Sir, they say that they have specific details about the striped woman." Thelican turned to his subordinate and raised and eyebrow. "They also say they can permanently remove her... for a price."
"And what would that price be?"
"I do not know, sir."
"Bah." Thelican waved his hand. "Send for them."
He leaned back and relaxed as a slave entered and started fanning him. It was a cool morning, but a very slight breeze was still appreciated. Eventually, the flaps to his tent parted to allow in a smiling Human flanked by some of his elite silken guards.
"[Great General] Thelican." The man bowed his head. "I am humbled that you deigned to meet with me so quickly."
"Yes, yes." Thelican smirked. "So Roshal has a magical trinket or two to deal with our high-level adversary?"
"Ah, but that's the thing." The Human's lips twisted into a sinister smile. "It is not high-level. Indeed it has no classes at all."
Thelican leaned forward. "Explain."
"As you command." The Human bowed his head. "As you know, there are those that do not get granted levels. Things so, sub-standard that they are not worthy. Yet, still powerful. Powerful enough that they need to be chained for the good of everyone."
Thelican's mind whirled. "You're not saying..."
"Yes, oh exulted one, it is an unbound Djinni."
"A Djinni!" Thelican exclaimed as he started to rise out of his chair. He paused and then sunk back down. "Surely not. A poor country like Tiqr would not have such a thing. Nor would any dare to commit such a crime." He smirked. "Finally, her attacks, while persistent, are not at the same level of destruction an unleashed Djinni could do." Thelican shook his head. "I'm afraid you're mistaken."
"Ah, but this Djinni is less that a year old. It is newly formed."
"Oh?"
"Indeed. It was captured and bound, but its owner was obviously incompetent in some way that boggles the mind." The Human grimaced. "It was the first Djinni he'd ever owned and apparently he had... ideas about how to properly train slaves."
"Oh?" Thelican repeated himself.
"Yes." The man nodded his head. "I am not privy to all the details, but the Djinni is adept at reforming itself upon injury. It somehow survived the... incident that left naught but a crater where a manor once was."
Thelican's eyes glanced over at the truth stone that the [Guard] behind the emissary carried. It was glowing a constant blue. No lies. Or, at least, the truth as the Human knew it.
"Then I suppose the proper thing to do is to capture and bind it." Thelican began to plan an ambush to do such a thing. He had [Mages], he could...
"As you say, Great Thelican." The Human bowed. "But do you have the materials necessary?"
Thelican scowled. He did not. He didn't know the specifics of how to bind a Djinni. It was a secret only the highest level [Mages] of the Hundred Thousand Tomes Academy would know. He, of course, had such people in his army, and he did know that the reagents for such a task were rare and expensive.
"It is a trifling matter for Nerrhavia's Fallen to procure such things." He said dismissively.
"Indeed it is." The Human smiled. "As expected of a country as rich as your own. However... getting them here would be another matter entirely, would it not?"
Thelican narrowed his eyes. He could already see how this was going to play out. "You have such materials, and I suppose the price for them will be substantial?"
"Not at all." The man held up his hands. "In fact, it will cost you nothing! Roshal merely wishes to reclaim its own. We shall bind it ourselves!"
"That is a fine gift to offer Nerrhavia's Fallen." Thelican smiled, although he knew it was no such thing. The price was clear, but as long as he pretended that the Djinni would be his... the more concessions he could wring from the [Slaver].
...
The next night, Thelican stayed awake.
A [Mage] entered his tent with a scrying mirror and placed it on the table in front of him.
Thelican didn't show his displeasure as one of his slaves fed him a date. While he should be resting peacefully, it was his duty to oversee Roshal's trap. The minor annoyance had proven to be a bigger event than he had thought, and he might even have to use a Skill or two to aid in its capture. At least, if he wanted the gold from Roshal.
It was less gold than a Djinni was worth, even a newly formed one, but he'd still had been able to get some other concessions from the [Slaver]. A good deal all around. Roshal gets its Djinni back. Nerrhavia's Fallen gets a minor problem removed before it grows to something worse.
And Thelican got himself a nice little bonus payout.
"Sir." His [Mage] called his attention to the scrying orb. There was a commotion on the northern side of camp. The spell zoomed in to show the Djinni.
It had stolen another low-quality magic sword.
Thelican grumbled. Those were worth more than the Hemps in that squad. It also seemed to be... dragging the weapon along shields and creating a rain of sparks.
He frowned as his instinctive fear of flames made him shudder. Hemps had thick skin, so it shouldn't-
One of them went up like a bonfire. He could see the [Soldier] scream in fear and pain as the flames engulfed him. The rest of the squad-
"[Vanguard's Resolve.]" Thelican used a skill, and his troops stopped their rout before it had even started. Should he use another Skill? They were just Hemp, but if their trap was to work, the Roshal [Mages] needed time to finish their preparations. "[Fireproof Charge.]"
A waste, but a necessary one.
Two more Hemps had caught fire in the meantime, then his Skill extinguished them and kept the unnatural amount of sparks from alighting anyone else. Thelican preferred to keep that Skill for his own personal use. While he had an anti-fire ring, a backup plan was always nice.
The Djinni seemed upset, but it quickly switched to using its free hand to claw through the bronze shields instead. Honestly, that seemed far more effective, but... it wasn't fire.
Thelican had already used two Skills, and he wasn't going to waste more on some Hemps.
The fight raged on.
Infantry charged it. Archers shot it. Mages lobbed spells at it. All to seemingly no avail.
That was the trap.
The Djinni could slowly reap through the front lines, but it always moved towards the thing it was weak against: spell casters. The [Mages], of course, had set up a ward.
Thelican jerked his head, and the [Mage] moved the scrying spell where he indicated.
Yes. Standard defensive formation. Half of the [Mages] chanted together to create a barrier to protect themselves while the other half focused on offense. Instead of pooling their power into a siege spell, the individual [Mages] were launching volley after volley of [Light Arrow] with one of them even casting a [Valmira's Comet].
The Djinni, to its credit, successfully dodged or swatted the spells from the air with its stolen sword. While it was true that one needed magic to fight a Djinni, this one was both strangely weak and resilient at the same time - just as the Roshal emissary had said.
Still, it was predictable.
Next it would charge the [Mages] and try to get past the barrier.
Thelican nodded to his subordinate and the image in the mirror moved to show the [Slavers] running through his army. It would take them time to get into position. They'd set out as soon as the Djinni had appeared, but the might of Nerrhavia's Fallen was spread out over a vast amount of ground.
"[Rapid Deployment.]"
His Skill would let them move quicker so they could prepare their trap. They had time, the Djinni could rampage for hours, but Thelican didn't like leaving things to chance. He could already see how the night would unfold.
The Djinni didn't move far. It enjoyed fighting the [Soldiers] that swarmed it. It clearly wanted to get at the [Mages] and their Magic Throwers but couldn't. Thelican, of course, could have his magical siege weapons fire at it again.
By his calculations, it was cheaper to do so and end its rampage early despite the loss from friendly fire. No magic sword could block such an attack.
But... no.
That was not the plan for tonight. Tonight he'd lay in wait until giving the order for the [Mages] to withdraw. They would run. The Hemp would cover for them. The Djinni would catch up. The [Mages] would be mauled.
One in four would likely die.
That was acceptable. It was how they would lure the Djinni in. Bait it with its desired targets.
Ideally, the [Mages] would make it far enough to place the Djinni inside of Roshal's trap. If not, the 32nd and 21st divisions were moving in closer. They too could repeat the same holding action before withdrawing and being chased. Once the Djinni got close enough to the binding circle, it would all be over.
Thelican nodded, and his [Mage] moved the scrying sensor back to the Djinni. Bodies lay piled around her. Some sturdy Hemp tried to keep fighting with their legs torn off, but most of the worthless dregs crawled around uselessly.
The magical barrier still held. The Djinni raised its hand and snapped-
A searing bright light flooded the room!
Thelican blinked the spots from his eyes, and shook his head. What had just happened? The Djinni had raised its hand, but there had been nothing in it.
Magic. Obviously.
A fledgling threat that was growing into its-
The [Mages] were down.
Thelican focused on the image. His [Mages] were laying in pools of their own blood. Their barrier was gone!
"Dead gods." He mumbled before re-evaluating the situation. The Djinni was moving further in, which... was fine. The Roshalians were in position. It hardly mattered that the Djinni got past the [Mages] on its own instead of by Thelican's will.
...It did sting a little, but this too would work for the trap.
Just a little further...
The Djinni stopped. Did it sense the ambush?
A facsimile of a smile spread across its face before it turned around and ran THROUGH everyone and everything in its path!
Gandalf felt it.
His target was close. Not just closer, but close. The sensation that connected them had suddenly snapped into place. It was like he'd crossed some invisible threshold and the line went from thin and overstretched to 'normal'.
The old man smiled and reached up to his face...
*Gamer's Body enabled.
...and I took my mask off.
Sibby!
I could feel a stupid-looking grin spreading across my face, and I didn't care. Sibby was close!
I Inventoried the Tinkertech tools that I'd been carrying and set my sight on the horizon. The next second, I was there.
I looked around to get my bearings. I'd walked through one front of this war already, and while Pixel was much less vulnerable than Gandalf, there was no reason to teleport into the middle of a fight.
...Unless that was where Sibby was, which I gave better than average odds.
I teleported to the furthest spot I could see again.
I could feel Sibby moving closer to me, and a part of me unclenched itself. It was foolish to worry about the Siberian. Sibby could take care of herself... but this was a strange world. Who knew what trouble she'd gotten caught up in?
Huh?
As I was taking stock of my new location, I pushed mana into Ears of Babel. The [Discreet Murmur] skill I'd sacrificed to it had increased my sensitivity to magical communication when I focused on them.
No scrying.
One message. From Wistram.
I'd read it later. I had more important things to do right now.
I teleported to the horizon again. Sibby was getting closer. In fact...
Ah.
An army.
I am not surprised.
They spread across for miles as far as the eye could see. A massive force that could only be the troops from Nerrhavia's Fallen. I'd picked up tidbits from here and there, and the vast force I saw the tip of could only be that powerful country's two hundred thousand strong army.
There were some lights coming from that direction, but I couldn't make out any details. In fact, it was likely that there would be a [Scout] or two or a hundred out searching here in the dark for [Infiltrators].
Eh. That didn't matter.
What did matter was the black and white blur that was racing across the plains and making a bee-line towards me.
Sibby!
I spread my arms and she crashed into me at speeds only she could achieve.
-42 HP
Oof!
She'd built up enough momentum that even Gamer's Body couldn't fully negate it. I took a step back as her arms wrapped around me.
I gazed into her yellow eyes for a moment. "I missed you, Sibby."
She smiled back at me. "I missed you too, Kevin."
Wait.
Sibby didn't talk. She COULD talk, but she didn't.
I couldn't teleport away. Sibby's power prevented me from escaping her grasp! Whomever this was, she wasn't Sibby, but she had the Siberian's powers!
Threat Sense flared as she leaned in closer! She was going to attack my head!
*Error! Gamer's Body negated.
...She tore my ear off, and began to chew with an expression of pure ecstasy.
I patted her on the back and then moved my other hand to her mouth. She smiled at me as she nostalgically started to eat my fingers - one knuckle at a time.
This is what I got for not Crafting Sibby some food before arriving.
Bios:
Thelican - A [Great General] of Nerrhavia's Fallen. Vain, arrogant, uncaring. Adequate for a [Great General].